Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True: Dirty Rotten Cast Album In Stores May 10

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10 May 2005

Those who weren't among the stampede to grab a free cast album of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels at the Imperial Theatre April 27 can finally buy one May 10 at retail outlets.

The commercial disc, as opposed to the special-offer CD, offers three bonus tracks: Songwriter David Yazbek singing "All About Ruprecht" and "Here I Am" on a demo recording, and an intimate piano-and-voice version of "Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True," sung by Sherie Rene Scott.

The Ghostlight Records release also includes a spoiler-warning track from John Lithgow prior to the climax song of the show. If you haven't seen the show, he suggests you buy a ticket and avoid the subsequent revelations of the disc. If you've seen it, he hopes you buy more tickets.

A full color booklet with the complete Yazbek lyrics are part of the package.

The recording is produced by David Yazbek and Billy Strauss; Kurt Deutsch is the album's executive producer.

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More than 4,500 fans stood in a blocks-long line at the Imperial Theatre April 27 for a CD giveaway and starry signing event celebrating the new cast album for Broadway's Dirty Rotten Scoundrels.

Fans appeared at the Imperial Theatre as early as 6 AM to be assured of a free album. The discs were distributed 11:30 AM-1 PM. The show's cast, including stars John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott and Joanna Gleason, and composer David Yazbek, were on hand to sign discs before their Wednesday matinee performance.

By noon, "the line was blocks-long, stretching across the theatre district," according to a statement. And yes, indeed, about 4,500 discs were distributed, a spokesman told Playbill.com.

The giveaway is a first in Broadway history, and meant to generate buzz for the David Yazbek-Jeffrey Lane show based on the film of the same name.

The Ghostlight Records CD is in stores May 10, but between April 27 and May 27, free discs (minus bonus tracks) are also being offered to theatregoers attending performances of the musical comedy. The total number of free CDs given away will be 50,000.

The Dirty Rotten Scoundrels producers financed the album themselves and have partnered with Kurt Deutsch, president of the independent record labels Sh-K-Boom and Ghostlight Records, which allows them to market the cast album in this "unique and revolutionary way."

Deutsch said in a statement, "The Cast Album is the most important marketing tool a show has. It has been my goal over the past few years to re-define how these albums are financed and marketed. By co-owning the master recording with the producers, we can work together to figure out how to market the show as well as sell the record. As a show tries to build an audience, they need too be able to use every tool they can. If we can help by doing something unique like this launch, fueling word-of-mouth, we will sell many records for many years to come."

The track list on the May 10 release is as follows:

1. Overture 2. Give Them What They Want 3. What Was A Woman To Do 4. Great Big Stuff 5. Chimp In A Suit 6. Oklahoma? 7. All About Ruprecht 8. Here I Am 9. Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True 10. The Miracle 11. Ruffhousin' mit Shuffhausen 12. Like Zis / Like Zat 13. The More We Dance 14. Love Is My Legs 15. Love Sneaks In 16. Son of Great Big Stuff 17. A Message From John Lithgow 18. he Reckoning 19. Dirty Rotten Number 20. Finale 21. Here I Am (David Yazbek Vocal Demo) 22. All About Ruprecht (David Yazbek Vocal Demo) 23. Nothing Is Too Wonderful To Be True (Bonus Track: Sherie Rene Scott, Vocals)

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels features a book by Jeffrey Lane and music and lyrics by David Yazbek (The Full Monty) and stars John Lithgow, Norbert Leo Butz, Sherie Rene Scott, Joanna Gleason, Gregory Jbara and Sara Gettelfinger. The production, directed by two-time Tony Award winner Jack O'Brien and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell, opened on March 3.

The Imperial Theatre is located at 249 West 45th Street between Times Square and Eighth Avenue.